Helicopter



April 23, 1946. w mm; 1 2,399,076

HELICOPTER Filed Sept 13, 1943 7 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor M zZZz'am 7TTrz'ce Aprii 23, 1946. I w. "r. TRicE HELICOPTER Filed Se t; '13, 1943 7Sheets-Sheet 2 51::51255." n liiaii5:11:55::alltnnliil 4*12 I m entorVVzZZzam T 73109 Apr-i123, 1946. w. T. TRICE 2,399,076

HELICOPTER Filed Sept. 13, 1943 7 Sheets-Sheet ,5

April 23, 1946; w. T. TRICE 2,399,076

HELICOPTER Filed Sept. 13, 1943 Y 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor A iril 23,1946.

w. T. TRICE v 2,399,076

HELICOPTER 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 13, 1943 Ill- ffjf'llllllllllllll Inventor Wz'llz'am 7. Price R] @Mmm (W Em April 23, 1946.

w. T. TRICE 2 ,399,076

HELICOPTER Filed Sept. 13, 194:5 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Inventor mam 7T 7km.

April 23, 1946.

' W. T. TRICE HELICOPTER 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Sept. 13, 1943 IfiuentarWilliam T Trz'c EM and Patented Apr. 23, 1946 I UNITED sTA'rss PATENTOFFICE Application No. 502,204

- ing a novel combination and arrangement of oppositely turning rotorand propeller for ascending and descending.

Another very important object of the invention is t. provide ahelicopter of the aforementioned character which embodies a unique powerplant arrangement and means operatively connecting said power plant tothe rotor and the propeller.

Still another very important object of the invention is to provide ahelicopter of the character described comprising'novel control meanswhereby the craft may be readily caused to travel in any desireddirection. I

Other objects of the invention are to provide a helicopter of thecharacter set forth which will be comparatively simple in construction,strong, durable, reliable in operation, andwhich may be manufactured atlow cost. 7

All of the foregoing, and still further obiects and advantages of theinvention will become apparent from a study of the followingspecification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswherein like characters of reference designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a helicopter constructed in accordancewith the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in vertical longitudinal sec tion through themachine, taken substantially the connections of the rotor blade shaftsto the upper end portion of the crankshaft of the engine.

Figures 6 to 10, inclusive, are views in horizontal Figure 11 is adetail view of one of the vertically moving feathering rods.

Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view through one fication of Figure 18,showing the fuselage or cabin in longitudinal section.

Figure 15 is a view in vertical section through the propulsion andcontrol mechanism of the modification.

Figures 16 and 17 are views in horizontal section, taken substantiallyon the lines l8i8 and l'l--Il, respectively, of Figure 15.

Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view through one of the rotor blades ofthe modification.

Figure 19 is a top plan view, showing another form of the machine.

Figure 20 is a view in'vertical section through the embodiment of Figure19.

Figure 21 is a view in horizontal section, taken substantially on theline 2l-2i of Figure 20.

Figure 22 is a perspective view of the upper end portion of one of thevertically movable feathering rods shown in Figure 20.

Figure 23 is a top plan view, showing the means for securing the.feathering rods together. 1

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and to Figures 1 to 12,inclusive, thereof, in particular, it will be seen that referencecharacter I designates generally a fuselage or cabin, which fuselage orcabinmay be of any desired dimensions and material. Suitable landingwheels 2 are provided for the cabin I. Projecting rearwardly from thecabin I is a stabilizer 3. Below the stabilizer 8, a rudder 4 ishingedly suspended for vertical swinging movement from side to side. Afoot lever or bar 5 inthe cabin I, forwardly of the pilot's seat 6, isoperatively connected to the rudder 6 by means including cables I.

Mounted vertically in the cabin i is a tubular post 8 which projectsthrough a concavity e in the top of said cabin. Journaled on the upperend portion of the tubular post s and rising therefrom is'a cylindricalperforated housing iii, Ball bearings H (see Fig. 4) are providedbetween the housing ill and the post 8. Fixed vertically on the upperend of the housing is is a radial engine I: having an upwardlyprojecting crankshaft it. The engine I: is of the type shown in the U.8. patent to M. A. Tips, No. 1,306,035 dated June 10., 1919, in whichthe cylinders and crankshaft of the engine rotate in oppositedirections. A spider I4 is joumaled on the upper end portion of thevertical engine crankshaft i3. As best seen in Figure 5 of the drawings,a suitable ball bearing i6 is provided for the spider it on thecrankshaft if. A fuel tank It is mounted on the spider I4. Thefuel tankIt may be connected in any suitable manner to the carburetor of therotor blades, taken substantially on the line i2-i2 of Figure 1.

Figure 14 is a view in side elevation of the modi- I 1 of the engine I:as, for example, through a duct in the crankshaft l3.

Mounted on the spider Ill and the housing in in the post 8 and pivotallymounted thereon and extending upwardly therefrom is a rod 25, A frame 26is rockably mounted on the upper end of the rod 25 through the medium ofa ball and socket connection 21. The frame 26, which encircles the post8, is fixed on one end of a lever 28 comprising an upstanding handle 29.

Vertically movable feathering rods 30 in the tubular post 8 areoperatively connected, at their lower ends, to the frame 26 by ball andsocket connections 3|. Slots 32 in the lower portion of the post 8accommodate the lower portions of the rods 38 and the elements 33 of theframe 26.

The rods 30 terminate in angular upper end portions 34 which areoperable vertically in substantially U-shaped, upstanding guides 35.Mounted on the upper end portions 34 of the rods 30 is a verticalbearing 36 having journaled therein a tubular spindle 31. Ball andsocket connections 38 connect the rods 30 to the bearing 36 foruniversal movement.

Journaled on the upper portion of the tubular spindle 31 is a spider 38.Rods 4B are rockably mounted on the struts 22. Links 4| operativelyconnect the spider 39 to the rods 48. The rods 40, in turn, areoperatively connected to the rotor blades IQ for feathering said bladesby links 42 (see Fig. 12).

Fixed on the crankshaft l3 of the engine l2 for rotation with saidcrankshaft is a propeller 43. The propeller 43, it will be observed, islocated substantially within the confines of the blades IQ of the rotor18.

A hand throttle lever 44 is pivotally mounted for vertical swingingmovement on the tubular post 8. One end portion of the lever 44 isoperable in the post 3. A rod 45 operatively connects the lever 44 tothe throttle valve of the engine 12, said rod passing upwardly throughthe tubular post 8 and the tubular spindle 31.

It is thought that the operation of the machine as thus far describedwill be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly,the rotor [8 turns in unison with the cylinders of engine I2 while thepropeller 43 is rotated in the opposite direction with the crankshaft 13of said engine. Thus, the machine is caused to ascend or descend andtorque is substantially eliminated. The control surfaces 3 and 4 receivethe downward blast or wash from the rotor 18. The machine may be readilytilted through the medium of the surface 4. By actuating the lever 24for raising or lowering the assembly in the tubular post 8 and thehousing Hi, the pitch of all of the rotor blades l9 may be uniformly andsimultaneously adjusted as. desired. By swinging or rocking the lever28, the spider 39 may be inclined in any direction through the medium ofthe rods 36. In this manner the rotor blades l9 may be caused to featherat any point in their cycle for causing the machine to travel in anydesired direction.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 13 to 18, inclusive, of thedrawings, a vertical tubular shaft 41 is journaled in bearings 48 whichare provided therefor in the fuselage I. Journaled in be'arings 49 whichare provided therefor in the tubular outer shaft 41 is an inner shaft50. The shafts 41 and 58 extend downwardly into a case 5| in the cabin Iand have fixed thereon comparatively large and small gears 62 and 53,respectively. An engine 54 is mounted in the fuselage or cabin lrearwardly of the case 51 and drives the gears 52 and 53 through meansincluding an equalizing gear unit 55 for rotating the shafts 41 and 50in opposite directions.

The inner shaft 5! projects above the tubular outer shaft 41.

Fixed on the 'upper portion of the tubular outer shaft 41 and rotatableabout the inner shaft is a rotor 56. The rotor 56 includes blades 51 onshafts 58 having one end portion rotatably connected to a spider 58which is journaled on the inner shaft 50. The blades 51 are rockable onstruts 68 which are fixed on the tubular outer shaft 41 and which extendradially and upwardly therefrom. Shafts 6| are rockably mounted on thestruts 68 and connected to the blades 51 for adjusting the pitchthereof.

A propeller 62 is fixed on the shaft 50 below the spider 59. Mounted onthe upper end portion of the inner shaft 50 is a spinner 63.

A flanged ring 64 is slidably mounted on the tubular outer shaft 41 inthe portion 8 of the top of the cabin l. A hand lever 65, withinconvenient reach of the pilot occupying the seat 6, is operativelyconnected to the slidable ring 64. Linked rods 66 operatively connectthe slidable ring 64 to the shafts 6| for feathering the rotor blades51. The links or sections comprising the rods 66 are coupled by ball andsocket connections 61, The lower end portions of the rods 66 areslidably anchored in the flanged ring 64.

Rockably encircling the tubular outer shaft 41, above the ring 64, is aring 68. The ring 68 is slidably mounted on the lower links or sectionsof the rods 66 and is engaged beneath the joints 61 thereof through themedium of coil springs 68. The ring 68 is rotatable on one end of a handlever 16 which is also operable from the pilot's seat 6 of the machine.

In operation, the engine 54 rotates the shafts 41 and 50 in oppositedirections for turning the rotor 56 and the propeller 62 in oppositedirections. By swinging the hand lever upwardly or downwardly, all ofthe blades 51 of the rotor 56 may be feathered in unison as desired.When this occurs, the ring 64 elevates the ring 68 through the coilsprings 69 for pushing upwardly on the rods 66 in a manner to rock theshafts 6! for adjusting the blades 51 in one direction. For adjustingthe blades 51 in the opposite direction, the ring 64 is moved downwardlythrough the medium of the hand lever 65, thereby pulling downwardly onthe rods 55 for rocking the shafts 6| in the opposite direction. Byinclining the rockable ring 68 in any suitable direction through themedium of the lever 18, the blades 51 may be caused to feather at anypoint in the cycle thereof for causing the machine to travel in anydesired direction. The rings 64 and 68 are rotatable on their respectiveoperating levers 65 and 16. Links 1| (see Fig. 18) operatively connectthe ignates a tubular vertical outer shaft to be rop and within theconfines of the rotor 16.

tatably mounted in any suitable manner in the cabin of the machi e.Journaled in bearings H in the outer shaft l and extending upwardly anddownwardly therefrom is a tubular inner shaft 15 which is open at itsends. The shafts I3 and a 15 are to be operatively connected to anengine in the cabin of the machine for rotation in opposite directionsby means similar to that shown in Figure 14 of the drawings.

Fixed on the upper portion of the outer shaft 13 and rotatable about theupper portion of the peller functions as a'reduction gear when it ispulled against the rotor, as in this device.

It is believed that the many advantages of a helicopter constructed inaccordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and

although preferred embodiinentsof themachinc are as illustrated anddescribed, it is to-be uninner shaft is a rotor 18. The rotor 18 in- Ahand lever 83 is pivotally mounted for vertical swinging movement in thelower portion of the cabin of the machine. Pivotally mounted on one endof the lever 88 is an upstanding rod 84. A plate 88 is mounted foruniversal rocking movement on the upper end of the rod 84. Fixed to theplate 85 is an operating lever 88.

Rods 81, which are substantially similar structurally to the rods 88,are operable in the tubular inner shaft 15 and extend beyond the endsthereof. At their lower ends, the rods. 81 are connected to the plate 85by links 88 and universal joints 88. A plate 88 is mounted in a similarmanner on the upper ends of the rods 81. Spiders 8i connect the upperand lower end portions of the rods 81 in a manner to permit verticalrelative movement therebetween.

A spider 82 is rotatably mounted on the plate 88. Links 88 operativelyconnect the legs of the spider 82 to the arms 88 on the shafts 18 of therotor blades 11. Pins 84 rise from the spider l8 and are slidablyengaged in openings provided therefor in the spider 82 for connectingsaid spider 82tto said spider I8 for rotation in unison therewi h. y

In operation, the rotor 18 and the propeller 82 are turned in oppositedirections by their respective shafts 18 and 15. By actuating the lever83, the rods 81 are raised or lowered in unison for feathering all ofthe blades 11 of the rotor 18. By way of further explanation, the rods11 move the plate 88 and thespider 82 vertically, said spider 82actuating the shafts 18 of the rotor blades 11 through the links 88 andthe arms 88. By inclining the plate 85in the correct direction, theplate 88 and the spider 82 may besimilarly inclined for causing therotor blades TI to feather at any point in the cycle thereof for causingthe machine to travel in the desired direction. The spider 82 fitsloosely on the pins 84 for permitting said spider to be tipped to anyinclination. It will thus be seen that a helicopter comprising a rotorand derstood that further modifications and changes in the details ofconstruction may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of theinvention as claimed.

What is claimed is: j 1. In a helicopter, the combinatio of a verticalshaft, a spider iournaled for free rotation on the upper end of saidshaft and having radial bearings, rotor blades having shafts journalcdin said bearings, a propeller fixed on said shaft below said spider androtor blades, a rotatable tubular member concentric with said shaft andat its upper end below said propeller, inclined struts providing adriving connection between the 'rotor blades and said tubularmember,said propeller being located within the confines of said struts, saidrotor blades being pivoted to the outer ends of said struts for rockingmovement about axes parallel with the shafts of said blades, avertically movable and universally tiltable member. operatingconnections between said lastnamed member and said rotor bladesincluding rods rockably mounted on and extending longitudinally of thestruts, manually operable means to move said last-named membervertically to simultaneously change the pitch of the rotor blades,manually operable means to tilt said lastnamed member for feathering therotor blades at any point in their path of rotation, and means fordriving said shaft and said tubular member in opposite directions.

2. In a helicopter, the combination ofa vertical shaft, a spideriournaled for free rotation on the upper end of said shaft and havingradial bearings, rotor blades having shafts iourna'led in said bearings,a propeller fixed on said shaft below sal d spider and rotor blades, arotatable tubular member concentric with said shaft and terminating atits upper and below said propeller, inclined struts providing a drivingconnection between the rotor blades and said tubular member, saidpropeller being located within the confines of said struts. said rotorblades being pivoted to the outer ends of said struts for rockingmovement about axes parallel with the shafts of 'said blades, avertically movable and universally tiltable member, operatingconnections between said last-named member and said rotor bladesincluding rods' rockably mounted on and extending longitudinally of thestruts, manuallyoperable meansto move said last-named member verticallyto simultaneously change the pitch of the rotor blades, manuallyoperable means to tilt said last-named member for feathering the rotorblades at any point in their path of rotation, and

'means for driving said shaft and said tubular propeller has beenprovided, said propeller operating within, above or below the rotor andtuming in the opposite direction therefrom. The propeller functions as areduction gear in addition to counteracting engine torque or twist. Whenthe equalizing gear unit is used, it is unnecessary to have differentsizes of gears as the propeller acts as a reduction gear, as aboveindicated, excent to' make the assembly work out. The protiltablemember, and a second lever for tilting said second vertically movableand tiltable member.

WILLIAM T. TRICE.

